Brother Ali performs for a sold-out crowd at last year's Bash
Happy Birthday!
89.3 The Current Celebrates Seven Years on the Air at First Avenue
Tickets for the radio station’s two-day birthday bash at First Avenue go on sale this week.
Written by Agathe Panaretos. In celebration of its seven years on the air, 89.3 The Current announced its plans to host a two-day birthday party at the iconic First Avenue in Minneapolis. Tickets go on sale this week.
The shows are slated for January 27 and 28, 2012. The two night lineup includes a number of Minnesota favorites and music spun by The Current DJs.
The Friday night show will feature a headlining set from Tapes ‘N Tapes and critics’ darling Low, as well as local favorites Dead Man Winter and Night Moves. The lineup for Saturday night includes Polica, Suicide Commandos, MC Sims from Doomtree, and the angelic Haley Bonar.
Jim McGuinn, program director for The Current, made the announcement on December 19. “We’re really excited to showcase some of the best up and coming and legendary bands from our music scene,” he said. “Over the past few years The Current’s Birthday Party show has really become a chance to meet up and share in the great music produced in the Twin Cities all year long. We’re really looking forward to it.”
Tickets will be first made available to members of Minnesota Public Radio, the member supported organization that broadcasts The Current. Members will be able to purchase up to two tickets per night online at thecurrent.org starting January 5. A small number of tickets will also be available to purchase at First Avenue’s Depot. All members must provide their membership card valid before December 31, 2011. Remaining tickets will go on sale for the public the following day on January 6. All tickets are $15.
The Current first went on the air in Minneapolis and St. Paul in 2005. The non-commercial, member supported station became an immediate hit and later spread outside Minnesota’s borders through its online stream. Broadcasting some of the best new music not often played on commercial stations, The Current fuses some of the latest hits with the classic and legendary sounds that inspired them. In 2010, the FMQB Triple A Conference named The Current Station of the Year and director Jim McGuinn Program Director of the Year.
The station has utilized the birthday celebration to showcase some of the best local acts of the preceding year. The show has increased the lineup each year and has completely sold out every event. Tickets are expected to be gone by Monday.